When the primary take a look at the Disney+ collection “Skeleton Crew” hit the scene, “Star Wars” followers had been lastly united on an important topic of our time — the truth that we’re able to fall on the lightsaber if it means honoring and defending Neel (Robert Timothy Smith). The brand new coming-of-age journey collection set after the occasions of “Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi” facilities on 4 younglings who by accident take off in a starship generally known as the Onyx Cinder and wind up misplaced within the galaxy earlier than linking up with a Power-sensitive pirate named Jod Na Nawood (Jude Regulation). A type of younglings is Neel, the one non-human within the core group from their (at first of the collection) unidentified planet. Neel’s finest pal is the human boy Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), and from all that we have seen of their world, people and aliens coexist in concord.
Neel’s look was achieved utilizing a mixture of facial movement seize, costuming, and an animatronic head, and the result’s the most recent candidate for the title of “Too Cute for ‘Star Wars’ Champion” (proper up there with Babu Frik). With nothing greater than a trailer, the “Skeleton Crew” merchandise marketing campaign rolling out, and a few behind-the-scenes featurettes to go off of, Neel has already turn out to be a response meme and a personality followers have declared they’d “die to guard.” And I get it, he is ADORABLE. Neel is not only the sort, cautious, and conscientious one of many group, he additionally seems like an anthropomorphized elephant boy with a lil’ tuft of blue hair on the highest of his head and such sympathetic eyes you may’t assist however wish to shield him from any bullies or house pirates who might wish to do him hurt.
However together with his blue elephant-esque look, some “Star Wars” followers suppose that Neel is a relative to a different beloved blue elephant alien — Max Rebo. Nonetheless, in line with each collection co-creator Christopher Ford and Lucasfilm Story Group member Leland Chee, Neel and Max Rebo are not associated.
Skeleton Crew’s Neel will not be associated to Max Rebo
Maximilian “Max” Rebo is an Ortolan from the planet Orto and a member of Evar Orbus and His Galactic Jizz-Wailers aka the Max Rebo Band aka the Max Rebo Twelve. The band served as regulars at Jabba’s Palace, which made them probably the most well-known bands within the galaxy. Max Rebo is definitely the stage title of Siiruulian Phantele, and the character first appeared in “Return of the Jedi.” Max Rebo is fairly memorable not just for his musical stylings but in addition as a result of he primarily seems like an enormous blue elephant. After Jabba’s downfall, Max Rebo landed himself a brand new gig performing music at Sanctuary, the cantina in Mos Espa on Tatooine owned by Garsa Whip (Jennifer Beals), as seen in “The E-book of Boba Fett.” Contemplating his well-known musician standing, I like to think about Max Rebo because the Jimmy Buffett or Sammy Hagar of the “Star Wars” universe.
The look of the Ortolans has been depicted inconsistently throughout the historical past of the “Star Wars” franchise (in non-canon Star Wars Legends titles, they solely typically have arms), which had many followers questioning if Neel was additionally an Ortolan, however one which occurred to be portrayed utilizing CGI enhancements as a substitute of the sensible go well with worn by Simon Williamson in “Return of the Jedi.” Neel was first recognized by of us who clocked him within the LEGO “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” set 75374 — The Onyx Cinder, which sparked the preliminary debate. At such a small scale, Neel actually does appear like a relative of Max Rebo, a lot in order that followers have been stacking photographs of Max Rebo and Neel LEGO items collectively to make memes evaluating the 2. This precipitated each Lucasfilm and “Skeleton Crew” co-creator Christopher Ford to make clear that Neel and his household are a species all their very own.
New episodes of “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” premiere Tuesdays at 6pm PST on Disney+.
